Amity's Eyes
by Hannan
Summary: Alternate universe. The country of Amity is in need after being overthrown years ago. The heir to the throne has been missing ever since and is needed to deliver the country. Some pairings: Danny/Sam, a little bit Tucker/Sam
1. Introduction

**Author's Note**: I'm debating on whether I should finish The Dronings of the Popular Crowd or work on this one first... maybe I'll just ping-pong back and forth. ;) Please let me know what you think!

**Disclaimer**: I do not, and will never own Danny Phantom.

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It was 14 years ago when the country of Amity was attacked by a great power from the west. The soldiers of the country were out fighting in a war, leaving the capital city virtually helpless. When the royal family got word of this surprise attack, it was decided that the Queen their two children would escape to a safe house while the King stayed and tried to fight off the enemies with what little soldiers he did have left. It was a tearful goodbye when the two parted ways, knowing that there was little chance of seeing one another again.

The children's nannies were advised to take the young Prince and Princess as fast as they could to the strong hold. It was vital for the baby Prince to make it alive since he was the heir to the throne. With the King halfway dead, it was inevitable that the boy would be on the throne as soon as he was old enough. Unbeknownst to anyone, however, the baby's nanny was loyal to the invading nation and stole away into the woods with him. It was rumored that the miserable woman sold the Prince for a few pieces of gold.

The invaders overthrew the capital city easily, the King fighting with his dying breath. Eventually the county was completely overtaken, leaving its inhabitants crushed and defeated. The one hope was that someday the royalty in hiding would come back to reclaim what was rightfully theirs.

Knowing that the people would be happier with a leader of their own ranks, the leader of the invaders, (a man named Masters), set a member of their council in charge. It happened to be the family closest to the former King and Queen that was appointed, although Masters did not know that. Maurice Foley was the one given title of King, though everyone knew that he was merely the puppet of Masters: a familiar face with unfamiliar words. However, everyone in the country appreciated the work he did for Amity, keeping it as in tact as he could.

Hope was bottled in the Prince's reappearance. It was in the eyes that would signal his returning, because the real bloodline of royalty in Amity had a special set of eyes. Because the royal family was in hiding, only the one person closest to them, however, would be able to tell.

And so it was that Amity lived for 14 years.

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"Oh Tucker…" The voice drifted above his head somewhere, outside of his dreams. "Tucker? Time to get up…" Suddenly next to his head, it called, "Wake up!"

Tucker yelped and rolled out of the bed, his servant laughing hard on the other side. "Danny!" He moaned, "I thought you were going to be nice waking me up today!" He rubbed his head and crawled back up onto the bed. "And I thought you were getting a new uniform, too."

Still laughing, the servant boy brought a tray of breakfast over. He sat down on the bed next to Tucker and they both began devouring the food. "Sorry." He mumbled over his food. "I couldn't resist. And I don't know, nobody gave me one. Was I supposed to?"

The Prince bobbed his head. "Uh-huh. Dad said so, he said that you were due. I'll ask him again today." Danny just shrugged, still eating.

"So do they ever give you food down there in servant-land?" Tucker asked, eyes glittering. "Or should I whine to Dad about that, too?"

The boy shrugged again. "The stuff they give me I save for mid-day. I don't get any then. If you want me to let you eat your own breakfast from now on –"

"- nah," Tucker laughed, "Cookie gives me way too much anyway. It's more fun having you eat then having you watch."

"By the way," Danny began, but then they heard footsteps outside the door. The servant boy jumped up and took his rightful place in the corner next to the door, head down, eyes to the floor. Tucker pulled the tray onto his lap and pretended to be eating like a prince should – slowly and carefully. (Although this never really happened)

At the knock on the door, Tucker called "Come in!" and Danny opened the door, not making eye contact with anyone. Tara Foley, Tucker's mother, stepped in and gracefully made her way over to her son. Danny watched shyly, and a little jealously when she kissed him on the head and asked, "How did you sleep, Sweetie?"

See, Danny was an orphan. In his short lifetime, he had been sold a few times from one person to another. Working in the palace, for the Prince, was the best thing that had ever happened though. Tucker was his best friend, although they both had to 'stay in their place' in front of the public. But when anything threatened his friend, Tucker would always stand up for him. It was just that Danny had never had a mother to do what Tucker's mom would do to him. Even just hug him and a question of how his day went. _I guess that's my destiny_. He thought, a twinge dejected.

"Fine, mom." Tucker sighed; he hated the constant doting his mother insisted on giving him. He wished that she would go away so he and Danny could finish scarfing the breakfast and then discussing the day. Knowing his mom, though, he knew she was going to wait until all his food was gone before she left. If he didn't finish it, she would think he was sick. So, he reluctantly took a bite.

She cocked her head slightly. "You're really becoming a man, Tuckerty. Pretty soon every girl in Amity will be kicking the doors down to get to you."

_True, very true, but did you have to use my full name? Crud_! He thought, sneaking a glance on his friend's face. It was contorted to hold his laughter in. _Danny heard it too_! "Mom," he mumbled, "please don't use my full name. Just call me Tucker or something, okay?"

She waved it off. "No matter. What I came to discuss with you was what was going on today."

"Why should that matter to me? You guys have visitors all the time."

"These visitors are for you, Tucker. Your father and I feel that we aren't going to be in power forever, so we want to find you a wife while we still have the time. So –"

Tucker choked. "Um, excuse me? A _wife_? Why didn't I know about any of this?" Danny could tell Tucker was not only mad, but confused. "What am I going to do? Pick from a line or something?"

His mother stiffened. "Really, Tucker, you make it sound like a bad thing. That's how I met your father, after all. It won't be so terrible, I promise."

The boy slumped back into his pillows. He was feeling immensely helpless, like he had no control over his life. Tara nodded at Danny vaguely as she exited, with a command that Tucker look his best and be down in the throne room by mid-day. The servant boy closed the door and bounced over to the bed. "Tuck? A wife! You really didn't know anything about this? And since when is your full name Tuckerty?"

"No, I didn't know anything about it." He sighed, imaging the line-up of girls his mother had in line. "And please don't mention my name!" He covered his head with his pillow. "You think they'd notice if I skipped and went to practice with my cross-bow?" He asked, his voice muffled.

Danny chuckled. "Slightly."

He really wasn't as mean-spirited as to make fun of his one and only friend in his hour of need. So, sighing, he asked, "What do you want to wear, Prince Tuck?"


	2. Agreement

**Author's Note**: Hey guys! Thanks for the support on the last chapter. This chapter is a little longer, and there are some Danny and Sam fluffies in it. =) That's what this story is ultimately going to turn out to be, but it's going to take some time to get there. As always, read and review! I love seeing an overflowing inbox filled with FanFiction stuff! ;)

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Danny Phantom.

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Tucker grumbled to Danny as they made their way into the throne room. Things like how he shouldn't have to be here, he'd rather be at cross-bow training, and there weren't going to be any pretty girls. Danny knew he couldn't really say much since they were in front of a lot of people, so he was more of a 'moral support.' Or, that's what he had told Tucker he'd be.

As soon as Tucker was seated, he asked Danny to get him some meat. For whatever reason, meat had this weird calming effect on him and he needed some of that now. The servant just grinned; play saluted, and went in search of some beef. Ooh or maybe bacon. Tucker salivated a little just thinking about it.

His father was next to him, overseeing the whole thing. "Dad?" He asked, leaning over, "What if I can't find a girl?" This was a hopeful idea, and Tucker was getting happier just by thinking about it. Then he could just say none of them were good enough!

The King laughed. "You'll find one, Tucker."

"Yes," his mother joined in, "every eligible girl on this side of the country is here today! You'll find someone. The only way you wouldn't is if you didn't try."

"Great."

If you've never been to a royal party such as this one, this is how it all works: The eligible girls get all dolled up and they all come and hang out in the throne room, trying to make themselves look the nicest, prettiest, and friendliest. (However hard that may be) Then the royalty picks from that group and the rest leave, and he does that until there aren't that many left. If he wants, he goes and talks to them, but it's mostly just point from afar for him.

Danny got back as Tucker was narrowing it down again. There were far less in the room, and Danny was eager to tell his friend about the door out; all the girls were going by there, all crying and whatnot. It was hilarious! Plus, most of these girls just wanted the money Tucker could give them, so it wasn't really a loss when he sent them away. Only one got chosen, you know?

"Here you go, my Prince." He said formally, setting the tray in front of his friend. Lowering his voice he whispered, "How's it going?"

Tucker sighed. "There's only one that I really think is worth getting to know, but she's one of the ones that my mom really wants me to pick." He picked up the plate and began stuffing his face. "So I can't choose her. What do you think, dude?"

The boy scanned the remaining girls. Sitting down on a step near Tucker's seat, his eyes lit on the perfect girl. "Tuck!" He said, and then remembered his place. "Prince! I think I see the girl you need." Causally, he pointed out a girl to the side. She was dressed in a simple violet dress, with a green sash and hair tie. Other then her scowl and obvious hatred of being here, the thing that really stood out about her was her large, black army boots. Only soldiers wore those normally.

Tucker looked at her uncertainly. "I don't know, dude. What if I really end up marrying her?"

That struck a nerve for some reason with Danny, making him feel annoyed and slightly defensive. "What's wrong with that? Besides, she's the perfect opposite of what your mom wants."

"Yeah, she is that."

"The polar opposite."

"Very true. Okay."

Danny jumped up, taking his place again behind Tucker's chair, and watched as his friend quietly motioned to his father whom he had chosen. It was announced, and Danny really wished he could go back to the front door and watch as the rest of the girls cried their way out. _Man_, he thought, _that Tuck is a heartbreaker_!

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Tucker's heart beat quickened as the girl was lead forward. She scowled more deeply then she had been before, sending eye darts at him. _Feisty._ He thought, trying to calm himself down. It didn't work.

Because of various agreements that would have to be made, Maurice led everyone into a room nearby, where they could all sit down. Tucker was introduced to the girl – her name was Samantha – and she didn't seem to cool down one bit as they were instructed to sit next to each other. Actually, she looked almost madder then before.

As the arrangements went on…_the Prince Tucker Foley_ (he wouldn't let them use his horrible full name) _has promised to wed Samantha Manson on his 17__th__ birthday_… blah blah blah… _only the King of Amity may break the agreement_… whatever. It was all just formalities. Tucker's mom looked like she was about to have a heart attack every time she saw her future daughter-in-law. At least that was a good thing. She'd have to break the agreement before the actual wedding.

Sam was fuming. Not only did her parents force her to come to this dumb thing, she had been chosen! This was like, the worse nightmare ever. Although he looked as annoyed and afraid as she was. Except for the afraid part. Sam was never afraid.

She sighed. "Um, I need to use the rest room." The queen grimaced. What did she do wrong? Say _rest room_? Lovely woman.

Tucker nodded. "Danny can show you where." She looked around at the servant boy, who waited for her to stand then escorted her away from the old people's watching eyes.

As soon as they were outside of the room, she let out a breath and laughed. "Are they always so uptight?"

He shot her a slightly interested look. "Yeah, I guess. Tucker and I mostly have to make our own fun, you know?" He stopped at a door after a few minutes of walking. "Here you go. Want me to wait?"

Sam looked around, realizing that she didn't know the way back. Blushing and laughing she said, "Would you?" He nodded.

She didn't really need to go, though. It was more of an escape. Ask any girl; half their bathroom trips aren't completely necessary, but really a little vanishing act, if only for a few minutes. Sam played with her hair absently. It was getting long, almost reaching her mid-back. She shook it out and replayed the first events of the day.

After a few more minutes, she sighed and dutifully went back out to the hall. The servant smiled and said, "I'm glad you're okay, I thought you might have died." He pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning on. "Would you have been mad if I had kicked down the door?"

Sam huffed out a little laugh. "Not really. I was just freshening up."

He held out an arm, "Mi-lady?" She nodded swiftly and took it. "So what's your name?" She asked, glancing at his deeply blue eyes.

"Danny. I work for Tucker." He looked at her sideways. "I take it by your expression in there that you aren't too keen on getting married to him."

Sam stopped and dug the toe of her shoe into the plush carpet. "I'm Sam, nice to meet you. And not so much him. More like anyone."

He raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to ever get married?" Danny took an inventory of her. "Pardon me for saying, but you're going to break a whole bunch of guy's hearts if you never do." He paused before saying, "You're too beautiful to waste, you know?"

Her cheeks warmed the slightest bit. "Thanks. But I was promised to someone when I was born, and obviously never had a choice in it. He died a few years ago, though, so here I am!" She raised her hand sarcastically, the annoyance showing in her voice again.

Danny shook his head. "Personally, I'd rather not make anyone marry without a choice, but Tucker's a good guy. He'll treat you good."

Sam looked away from him. It was too hard to look at those amazing eyes without wanting him to grab her right then and there and whisk her away. "Thanks. I better get back in there."

He nodded and opened the door for her.

_Oh man, why did you have to be a gentleman, too_?

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It wasn't until everyone had dispersed that Tucker and Danny got any free time. They went out to a more private, thoroughly abandoned field and began to train.

"Come on, Tucker. She's not that bad. A little more to the left, by the way." Danny called, spotting his friend's crossbow practice.

He shot another one. "But I'm marrying her, dude. How would you feel if you had to?"

"That's besides the point. I'll probably end up single and alone for the rest of my life because no girl wants to marry some poor kid with no future. This is about you."

Tucker laughed then sighed. "I know. Did you guys talk when you took her to the bathroom? What's she like?"

_Beautiful_. "She's intelligent and witty. Not much into the idea of arranged marriages, though."

"I could tell. How far was that one to the bulls eye?"

"Nice one. About an inch and a half away. You're getting good, dude."

"Hey, I'm out of bolts. Can you bring back the ones over there?"

Danny nodded and jogged them back over to him. "So why are you so creeped out over this? Because of Sam herself?"

Tucker laughed. "Her name's Samantha. And no, not as much as the fact that my birthday, and now the wedding, is coming up soon. The closer it gets, the less my mom will be able to break it up."

"So that's what you're counting on, right?"

"Yeah."

"Hey dude, can I practice now?" Danny asked.

Tucker nodded and watched as two rings of light appeared around him and transformed him into his alter-ego; the Phantom.

A few years before, Masters had sent a request, (that was not an option), to every lab in his country to try to make eco-weaponry. The lab in Amity was located next to the palace, and Tucker and Danny had wandered over on a day they had made a great advancement.

They had needed a test subject, Danny had volunteered. After the test was over, he didn't feel so good but nothing showed on any of the scans they took of him. It was assumed that nothing had happened. The eco-weaponry studies never brought any kind of help to Masters, so he eventually dumped the project.

A week later, however, Danny started discovering random powers he could now access. Things like going intangible and walking through walls, being able to hear much more clearly, even being able to fly and shoot rays from his hands started to happen. Tucker and he collectively decided that he could now fight in the army under an alias since he was so powerful. The boys attempted to train Danny as well as they could think to do for a month until his powers were mostly under control.

The first battle he fought in, he forgot to change into his powerful side before marching out so, under the cover of his armor, he changed with a flash and lead the army to victory that day. The Amity division of Master's forces was legendary for its power as long as there was a flash at the front of the ranks before the fighting started.

Except for Tucker, no one else knew Danny's secret. Although there were some people dying to find out.

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Okay, I know pretty much what's going on in the next chapter, but I'm going to need you guys to motivate me. =) Thanks!


	3. Changing Plans

**Author's Notes**: Hey guys! I'm so happy that this story is actually getting hits/being favorited and all that! Thanks so much! I'm having tons of fun writing it. So in this chapter we get some of Vlad for the first time, and more development for Sam. Tell me what you think!

**Disclaimer**: My name is Kayly, not Butch. I'll let you know if that ever changes.

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Sam lay awake that night, her mind on a certain boy with blue eyes and jet black hair. Swinging her long, thing legs out of bed, she padded over to her balcony doors. Her favorite thing to do at night (besides sleeping) was star gazing. They not only entranced, but accepted her just the way she was. That was nice.

She slipped a blanket over her small shoulders and sighed. Of course she'd have to like the one that _worked_ for her fiancé. That was her luck shining through right there. The ring Tucker had slipped on her finger, white-faced, glittered in the moonlight. It felt horrible to think how beautiful a present from someone she didn't love was. The tiny, ornate diamonds were arranged in a little star surrounding another, seemingly black, stone.

It was beautiful. Sam hated that.

She bent it this was and that to watch the light reflect. Earlier, when she had given Tucker's to him, he had almost hyperventilated. She had snuck a glance at Danny, who was expertly holding in laughter at his friend's contorted face. His beautiful eyes met hers for about a millisecond, and she thought he might have winked before turning away.

After exchanging rings, the two had tried to shake hands on the deal, but the general consensus with the older members of their families was that they should at least hug.

If you made a list of the world's most awkward hugs, this one would have ranked pretty high.

Sam could practically feel Danny's soft looking jet hair in her hands as she imagined into the stars. She often played connect-the-dots with the little lights, and tonight was no different.

Danny's eyes emerged again and again in her mind. Funny, but the only thing she could remember about her future hubby was that he breathed really loudly.

With his servant, however, she could tell you a lot more.

Things like how beautiful his eyes were, how his blue tunic had a small 'T' on the right shoulder to indicate his master, how large his bicep felt when she had held his arm, that his ebony hair set those blue crystals out like nothing she had ever seen, even that he wore army boots under his yellow pants.

Was there anything she remembered about Tucker, though? Other then his breathing habits, that is. _Think, Sam, think! You're engaged to him, not Danny_! Oh! He had brown eyes! That was something!

And a small accomplishment was better then none at all.

But it wasn't the Prince's face that kept emerging in the stars.

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Vlad Masters tugged absently on his longish gray hair, annoyed at all the failures his experiments had produced throughout the years. Every paper in front of him represented tests that had come out with nothing.

He looked over a more recent one, only a few years in the past. It had been an attempt to create eco-weaponry, but that hadn't found any productive weapons.

Imbeciles. He was surrounded by imbeciles!

A knock sounded on his office's door. Good. A distraction from the stupidity that ate through every aspect of his efforts. "Come in." He snapped.

General Harding stepped in and gave a sign of respect. "Mr. Masters," he said, his voice monotone, "I've come to give you the weekly report of your ever-expanding territory."

Vlad nodded. "Go on, Harding. I'm always in the mood for good news."

The general took a small step farther in the room, retaining his straight face and hard outer shell. "Well sir, we have conquered a new territory this week. The division from the southern portion of your vast land led the charge and dominated it in your name, carrying your banner."

A smile slid over his lips. "Very good. Are they a powerful division?"

"Yes sir. Not as much so as your Amity division of course, though. The Phantom Flash leads that division. It has conquered almost everything it has come up against."

The smile left. "The Phantom Flash? I thought that was just a myth."

His voice never changed. Even his eyes stayed in the same place. "No sir, not from what I have seen. Right before the army marches out from Amity, a flash of light is seen from somewhere in the ranks and a soldier will run up to escort Amity's men to victory. The only times they have not conquered is when the Phantom Flash has not been ready at the front of the lines."

This could add up to good news or bad news for Vlad. A person more powerful then he might eventually try to take over. "When did this start, General?"

"A few years ago, sir."

Something on the paper in front of him caught his eye. Carefully he said, "How many?"

The General stated the first battle and date that the Phantom Flash had showed up at. It was surprisingly similar to the date on the paper corresponding to the eco-weaponry research.

Interesting. It seemed to be time for a trip to Amity.

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"Come on, everyone!" The queen called, feeling unnaturally frazzled. That _girl_ was coming today. Why Tucker had ever chosen her was behind Tara's poor little mother's heart. She had seen the way her son had looked at that other girl… what was her name? Ah, it didn't matter. That lovely girl hadn't been chosen.

But Mrs. Death had. Honestly! Why on earth would Tucker choose the one that looked about ready to eat him alive when her name had been called? Tara had waited for a mistake, Tucker to correct the problem.

He hadn't.

Which was exactly why Tara had invited Samantha over early for a little beauty spa. Maybe with Tara's expert eye for fashion, she could scrub the girl up into looking presentable. After all, they were having a luncheon that afternoon so she and Tucker could get used to hosting things, so perhaps she'd want to look respectable.

Maybe. That remained to be seen.

Finally outside the door of the luxurious room sitting ready for the endeavor, Tara did a quick headcount of the servant she had. "Oh dear." She sighed. When she had done the last one, she must have accidentally counted herself. She most certainly couldn't do any of the work, but she needed one extra set of hands. That was when that servant boy that was always around Tucker tried to walk by. It was an attempt, because she grabbed him and dragged him in with the rest of her workers.

_Okay_, she thought, _now maybe I can pump some life into this girl_.

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Sam was grumpy. Grumpy at her parents, grumpy at the servants, even grumpy at herself. This afternoon she and Tucker were hosting a luncheon at the palace, but she was to get here early for… what had the queen told her mother? "A little spa time, my dear. She needs to get out of her dark outer shell and embrace the inner girl that must be just waiting to get out!"

Yeah, that was _really_ what Sam needed. More like a punch in the face for ever allowing herself to get involved with this mess.

But still, she complied to letting a servant lead her to the big room set aside for her spa treatment. _Who knows_, she thought, _maybe this might turn out to be a bit relaxing_?

The room she stepped into proved her otherwise. Sam almost panicked at all the pink that greeted her. Tara stepped up, dressed in a perky yellow dress, and said, "Samantha!" making a kissing noise on either cheek, "so glad you could make it. We'll have such fun today!"

"Uh, yeah. Thanks for inviting me." Sam said, letting herself be dragged over to a Japanese screen, which Tara shoved her behind saying, "No problem, dear! Go ahead and get dressed now."

_Get dressed_? Sam looked down at the violet dress she was wearing; it was the same one as the engagement day. _I thought I already did that_.

Behind the screen there were a few overly happy-looking dresses which made her want to puke, and some other accessories; jewelry, shoes, hair stuff, everything you could think of. In the end, Sam selected only a simple chain necklace that had a beautiful green stone set in gold_. It not only goes with my outfit_, she thought, surprisingly complacent,_ but it's actually pretty nice, too_.

Tara chirped from the other side, "Are you done yet, sweetie?" In answer, Sam stepped out, not expecting any kind of approval. The older woman frowned and said slowly, "That is a very nice piece, dear, but wouldn't you like to try a different dress? There are plenty back there."

Shaking her head, she said, "No. I think this one is fine." Sam looked around for any support from anyone. She noticed Danny standing to the side and immediately urged him, "Don't you, Danny?"

He opened then shut his mouth, unsure of what to do. Tara interrupted, "Who cares what he thinks, Samantha." She sighed. "I suppose that it will have to do. What about the boots? Can we at least give you some more… delicate shoes?"

She shook her head. "I like my boots. What's wrong with them?"

Tara seemed very irritated. She clapped her hands. "Alright everyone, let's get started." She pointed at a large, squishy looking chair. "Go sit there, Samantha."

_I guess I'm not 'dear' anymore_. Sam thought, secretly glad to tick the lady off.

She sat down, with Tara telling each servant a different job to perform on her. One began to repaint her black nails, (She wouldn't let them do pink, however, which is what Tara wanted), one brought a warm bowl of water and began to soak and massage her feet, stuff like that. It was pretty relaxing to Sam, although she had to interject every other word of Tara's to fix what the woman was trying to do. Come on, the lady wanted Sam to wear a _bow _in her hair. No way!

The last person assigned was Danny, who Tara just waved at with a hair brush and then told, "Go!" Danny chuckled under his breath as she turned away. He bent down and whispered in Sam's ear, "I guess I'm brushing your hair, Princess. Do you think she'll give me less detailed instructions next time?"

She laughed and tried to relax, which was easy because a certain hair brusher was being so gentle and nice she actually fell asleep. Danny was crouched beside her a while later, lightly shaking her shoulder. "Hey sleepy head, you need to wake up." She opened one bleary eye, her body not totally caught up from the star-gazing she had done instead of sleeping the night before.

Sam stretched, sending the girl finishing her toenails in a frenzy trying to get the foot back. "Oh sorry," she laughed, apologetically, "I guess I fell asleep."

Danny laughed. "I guess you did. You need to get going, though. Tucker's mom is about to have a cow if you don't get out there soon. Oh," he added, pulling out a pair of ballet-looking slippers. "She left these for you, too."

Sam laughed and shook her foot away from the servant. To show what she thought of that suggestion, she slipped her feet into the dreaded boots. She threw laughing eyes at the boy, who merely shrugged and chuckled.

Unfortunately, she wasn't about to spend the afternoon, or her life, with him. So she bravely went out to greet the one that she was.

Thank goodness he was just as nervous as she was.

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Soooooo, how'd you like it? This chapter was mostly between Danny and Sam, but next chapter is more between Tucker and Sam. I'll get it out as soon as I can. Thanks guys!


	4. Dreams and Reality

**Author's Notes**: Woo hoo! New chapter! Finally Jazz is introduced in this one, and Tucker and Sam become friends. I'm excited to see what ya'll will say about it, so definitely let me know! Thanks everyone!

**Disclaimer**: Butch Hartman owns Danny Phantom and Fenton! (Darn man)

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Tucker had been mentally preparing for today all night. Come on, the poor boy was barely seventeen and already tied down with a girl - he had the right to be nervous.

_Deep breaths. In. Out. Don't forget to blink_.

So, apparently Danny had had to help the girls get her ready. Tucker snickered at the thought. Maybe he'd smell like flowers or something all day. That would be funny.

_Yeah, real mature Tuck_. He coached himself. _Danny can smell like whatever the heck he wants to and I'll still be stuck being married_. He huffed and wanted to go and shoot something with his crossbow.

Or maybe eat a big old plate of meat. Yeah, that sounded good. _Where's Danny? I need my meat_.

Just then his father nudged him. "Tucker, here she comes." He looked up, bracing himself for anything. He was pleasantly surprised when the sight of her didn't quite make him want throw up out of fear. She made her way over to him and gave a little wave for 'hi.'

Tara was swiftly by her side. "Samantha, where are the shoes I left for you? Did that imbecile Daniel not give them to you? I knew I should have asked someone else, he's always –"

Sam held up a hand. "He gave them to me. I just chose not to wear them." She grinned. "I don't wear anything that's pink or has bows. That had both."

Before his mother could say anything else, Tucker smiled and took Sam's hand. It fit beautifully into his larger, clammier one. "Thanks for the suggestion though, Mom. I'm sure Samantha will let you know if she needs any other fashion advice, won't you?"

Sam nodded. "I really do love this necklace." She fingered the light gold chain tenderly. "It reminds me of something my Grandmother used to wear."

Something on Tara's annoyed, icy face melted a bit then. Maybe it was because Sam had expressed some interest in fashion. Whatever it was, Tucker was glad she could be at least a little understanding.

Although that wouldn't really help Tucker in his plight for not actually marrying the girl. He quickly let go of her hand. _Crud! I forget so fast!_ He thought.

Slightly confused from Tucker's random hand holding and hand releasing, Sam smiled a little, hoping to get some kind of agreement to move out to the courtyard the luncheon was going to be held in. When no one said anything immediately, she cleared her throat, "So, would you like to get to our guests?"

Tucker nodded and led the way, the older woman following sullenly, like Sam's toddler cousin, out to the door to the party. Of course, Tara could go in immediately but the other two had to be announced as the new couple. Danny popped up behind them.

"Hey Tuck," he said, holding something behind his back, "I've got something for you. Can you guess what it is?" He wiggled his eyebrows; Sam watched curiously at the exchange. An interesting relationship between Prince and servant, this one.

Tucker sniffed. His eyes widened and he looked like he was salivating. Closing his eyes he said, "You've got bacon. And meatloaf. Oh! Yes! Cookie finally started making the actual pig bacon that I like again! How did you get her to do that?"

Danny laughed. "A good servant never tells his secrets." He winked. "But yes, you got it right. I thought you could use a little nourishment before your big lunch. Here." He said, and handed over the plate, which Tucker immediately dive into with a vengeance that surprised even Danny, who had watched his friend eat countless times.

His eyes lit on Sam then. "Oh, crud. Do you want something, Sam? I could go get you something. Do you like meat? Tucker might share some with you." he paused. "Okay, well, I could still get you your own."

Sam wrinkled her nose. "No. I don't eat anything that has a face. Or ever had a face, even."

Tucker looked up, meat hanging from his full mouth. His eyes couldn't have gotten any wider. "No meat?! Are you kidding me? That's insane!"

Danny interjected as Sam looked like she wanted to go off on a long rant for her almost-husband, "Okay so we've got a vegetarian and a…" he laughed, "meat-a-tarian? You guys don't have time to discuss this, though. Tucker," He pulled a napkin out of his pocket. "Chew. Don't put any more in your mouth. There you go, chew, chew, swallow. Good. Now for this extra meal all over your face," he said, quickly wiping the other kid's face off with the napkin.

Sam watched this with a slightly disturbed countenance; it looked like what she had done with that same toddler cousin about two weeks ago when he had come to visit. Tucker didn't even seem to mind that Danny was definitely doing things that he should know to do himself. Apparently it was normal? That was a little scary to Sam. Would they expect her to get used to not doing things for herself? Because she wouldn't change that for anyone. Even Vlad Masters himself!

Almost as soon as Tucker was clean, (and after Tucker had thanked Danny for the calming meat) they were announced to the guests, Danny virtually disappearing into thin air. Feeling much more satisfied and happy then he had been, Tucker offered her his arm and said, "Shall we?" with the greatest of ease, like he had escorted thousands of girls like this.

During the time they sat next to each other, Tucker actually held Sam's hand again reassuringly, they laughed and answered all the old people's questions, and Sam even got a few bites of food during the many courses. She was pretty sure that Danny had winked when he had handed her the dessert, so she purposefully ate the whole thing. She didn't really know exactly why, it just seemed like the acceptable thing to do when someone winks at you while giving you food. On the other hand, it definitely could have been poison or something… oh well. It was done now.

After the food was gone, Tucker stood and tugged on Sam's hand to come, too. "Excuse us, everyone. But Samantha and I are going to take a little walk. You ready?" He asked, looking at her like they had planned this outing all along.

"Uh, sure." She said, trying to look confident. This was the first bold move Tucker had made since she had met him. They left the little garden party and walked for a few minutes through the beautiful grounds. Finally Tucker found a bench and motioned for Sam to sit. He sat too and said, "Are you ready? To get married, I mean?"

She spit out the promise her parents kept telling her, "Yes, it will be a growing period for me and you and it will be more enjoyable since we will not have to go looking for a spouse like the rest of our friends."

He shot her a sideways glance, not buying it at all. "Samantha –"

"Hey, just call me Sam, okay? The name Samantha ranks up there with meat and pink bows in my mind."

Tucker nodded. "Alright, Sam. But that doesn't sound like you talking. From the little I know about you, you seem to be a highly intelligent individual. Don't you have some strong words for me or something? I mean, we met by me pointing and saying 'That one!' It's not very conducive to a properly growing relationship. In fact, I'm surprised that you're talking to me at all civilly."

Sam laughed. "I may be an individual, but I'm not wound that tight. The custom through which we met was just that; a custom. I'm sure if you had had your choice, you would have picked that other girl anyway. Am I right?"

The boy opened his mouth, then closed it again. Finally he chuckled. "I guess you're right. Danny suggested you, actually."

Sam's ears pricked up. "Did he now? So it wasn't even your choice? Danny did it?"

Tucker let a slow breath out. "Okay, here's the deal; I don't want to get married like this. If we had met otherwise, something might have been sparked; we'll never know now. I wanted to pick the person that I thought was most against my mother's wishes so that she'd eventually see the error and I could try to romance someone who I really loved the old-fashioned way. You know, like, when they have a choice, too."

Not offended much by his 'most against my mother's wishes' comment, Sam laughed. "Yeah. This is the second time my parents have tried to marry me off. The first one died," she paused, looking at Tucker's suddenly scared face, "but it was a freak accident. I didn't know about it until two months later." She patted his arm. "No need to worry." They laughed and Tucker pretended to be relieved.

"So, can we decide to be friends?" Sam asked, looking at him. Friendship wasn't love, but at least they could avoid the whole hating thing.

Tucker nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good. You know, we've done this all backwards. When I'm King, or, if I'm King, I'm getting rid of that stupid custom. Hopefully we can be the last ones ever forced into it."

"If you're King? You think Mr. Masters will take away the crown from a local Amity-ite? Then the people would rebel, wouldn't they?" Sam shook her head. "That would make no sense! Then he would have to re-conquer this section of the country. That could potentially send a domino effect around the rest of his territory, couldn't it?"

Tucker just laughed. "Whoa, you're thinking too much for me. You want to head back?"

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Phantom floated listlessly through the air above the chapel. _Today is the day_. He thought, unsure how he would pull himself through.

Tucker had insisted that Danny be allowed to be one of the groomsmen, and that was cool. But that also meant he would be up close and able to see every last second of the kiss. He shuddered. _Tucker kissing Sam? That's just wrong_.

He settled himself down on the top spiral of the church, fighting back emotions. _This is no way to act_! He scolded himself. _This is your best friend's big day, you can't go ruining it for him_!

All the same it was hard.

Noticing people arriving, he sighed and intangibly slipped through the rafters and into a back room. Carefully, so no one would see, he began to change back. Hearing something, he stopped and listened through the wall. _Crying? Who's crying_? He wondered, timidly phasing through the wall, invisible.

It was Sam. She was sitting in front of a mirror, head in her hands. Phantom noticed the ring sitting next to her. _Her engagement ring_!

No one else was there. He turned visible. "Sam?" He asked, knowing this wasn't quite right, "Are you okay?"

She whirled around. "What are you doing here? And who are you?" She cocked her head. "Some kind of super hero?" Grunting she looked at her make-up stained face. "Oh great. A super hero is here to rescue me and I can't even look presentable. Just my luck."

Phantom laughed and transformed back into Danny, suit clad and all. "Nah, it's just me. Are you okay? You don't look so good."

Sam jumped up. Danny was some kind of freak? _Yeah Sam_, she thought sadly, _you can just keep telling yourself that_. "I'm not ready to do this."

Danny held her chin in his hand. "What? Are you ready for _this_?"

And just as they almost kissed, Danny's alarm went off. He checked his calendar and reminded himself that the wedding was still not for two weeks. He sighed anyway and knew he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. Slipping his boots on, Danny crept out, transforming to Phantom and flying over sleeping Amity.

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Jazz glanced at her clock, sighing again. After the long day she had had helping the poor with her mother, (yes, she knew she was a goody-goody), she should have been exhausted and should have slept all the way until noon.

Of course, she didn't, as was evidenced by her awakeness at a ridiculously early time.

Amity was about to change. She knew it. And, knowing the secret that would make that change, Jazz was, let's just say, a little perplexed about her mother's plan.

When you know the crucial bit of information that will cause a major turning point in someone's life and an entire country, don't you know that you're supposed to be worried? Duh.

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Phantom flew and flew until he was sufficiently tired and had to stop and rest. His brain hurt from going over this situation so many times; he had to sit down. Faintly, he let gravity take him down, somewhere in the north region in the woods. Phantom sighed, letting himself transform back into Danny. _This 'let Tucker be happy' thing is harder than I thought_.

A rustling nearby caught his attention. Quickly he went intangible, (he could still use his powers without changing, but for security's sake, he usually switched over before he did), and slid through the tree he was sitting against. He listened intently, noting that the steps coming towards him were delicate; like a person with slippers on, or someone who purposefully tried to walk as quietly as they could.

Trying to be ready for anything, (maybe soldiers wore slippers sometimes?), he tried to create an eco-ball for protection. When it fizzled with a loud pop, he discovered how much of the powers he could use. _Crud_!

The footfalls stopped. A voice, obviously a girl, called nervously, "Hello? Is someone there?"

Danny's heart raced. What should he do? Still intangible and invisible, he peeked at his intruder. It was a girl, maybe his age or a little older, with long, red hair. She seemed awfully perplexed at the thought of someone else finding her in the woods at… what time was it? 4? 5 in the morning? Slowly Danny smiled. Maybe this could work for him.

He phased through the tree and, at the same time as becoming visible, said "Who goes there?" pretty loudly. Poor girl jumped about a mile high when she saw him.

Phantom crossed his arms over his wimpy chest, trying to look as tough as he could. He gave the girl a hard stare, (or at least as hard as he could manage, he was feeling pretty weak still and couldn't give it his all. Plus, he wasn't very good as being mean anyway), and said, "Who be you to walk here?"

Jazz suppressed laughter. "My name is Jazz. And if you are trying to intimidate me, it's not going to work. That face isn't all that scary," she gave him another, much more threatening glare, "_this_ is how you would do it. Here," she reached up, (Phantom was floating) and maneuvered his face into a similar expression, "try that."

Letting his face fall into a milder, very emotionless air, "Well, you seem to be friendly. I guess I won't have to kill you." He said, very sarcastically.

This time she really laughed. "Thank you, my good man. Would you like to come back to my house? We, my mother and I that is, run something like a bed and breakfast. You look tired, quite frankly."

Danny hesitated and then nodded weakly. Honestly, he was having quite a bit of trouble not changing back into Fenton. Maybe he could trick this girl into thinking Phantom was just a costume! Oh wait, his eyes and hair would change too. Crud.

None the less, he followed the girl back through the woods, her gabbing the whole way. _What have a gotten myself into this time_?

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Not much of a cliffhanger =P but that's okay. Sometime I'm actually going to do a story where my true comic genius (yeah right) is going shine through. Lol. I'm not used to writing this kind of suspense/drama/whatever, so I really need imput, guys! Please review! =)


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